Races consist of a series of checkpoints, represented by columns of
light. In some races, the order in which the checkpoints must be cleared
is prescribed. In this case, a transparent, glowing arrow points to the
next checkpoint. In other races the checkpoints may be cleared in any
order. In that case, the arrow points to the nearest checkpoint.
It is up to the player which route to take from one checkpoint to the
next. There are no artificial barriers in the game's open world
environment that force the player to stay on a specific course. Any area
that is drivable or jumpable in the free-roaming cruise mode between
races may be used to get to the next checkpoint.
Some areas can be driven upon that are not intended for such use outside
of a computer game. Examples are escalators, roofs, railways and
riverbeds and many ramps. However, many areas that would be drivable in
reality, for example entrances and some stairs, are fenced off with
invisible barriers. In some areas, the player can jump or drop down.
Using this to the player's advantage can be necessary in order to win a
race. If the car falls into deep water,the damage meter goes to its
maximum stage and the car starts to overheat and the race is immediately
lost.
The game features a damage model. The amount of damage inflicted upon a
car is indicated by both an HUD indicator and visual damage to the car.
The performance of a car does not degrade with damage. When the damage
limit of a car is exceeded, the car explodes or stalls. After a delay of
a few seconds, the player can continue with a new car.
